Meghan
by Misha
Summary: When Brenda is killed, for real this time, her daughter is sent to Port Charles and raised by a most unlikely source...
1. Prologue

Meghan   
By Misha 

Disclaimer- I do not own any of the characters of General Hospital. They belong to the creators of General Hospital, Wendy Riche, Bob Guza, ABC Daytime, and probably a lot of other people with more money than me. I'm not making any money off this story so please don't sue me. 

Author's Notes- I started this a long time ago, right after Brenda left for the second time. I no longer watch GH, so a lot of details are off. For example, when I started this, Carly had just found out she was pregnant and I made the baby a girl instead of a boy because it fit my idea of a plot better. I incorporated Ric's kidnapping of Carly into the plot, because I thought it worked, but I even dealt with that different. Read, to find out. I just thought I'd warn people that this is a very different world then the one on the show. You'll have to read to see what I mean, but I hope that you'll at least think it's interesting. Well, that's all for now, enjoy! 

Summery- When Brenda is killed, for real this time, her daughter is sent to Port Charles and raised by a most unlikely source... 

Rating- PG-13

* * *

Prologue

"Mr. Corinthos?" 

"Yes." Sonny said into the phone, wondering who it was on the other end. 

"This is Eva Cassidy, I was Brenda and Patrick Mullahan's attorney." 

"Who?" Sonny asked, hoping against hope that his gut instinct was wrong. 

The woman on the other end sounded confused. "I was assured that you knew the couple... Patrick Mullahan and Brenda Barrett Mullahan." 

Sonny was quiet for a long moment. "Sorry, I was just confused. I knew Brenda before she got married." He said softly. "I hadn't talked to her in two and a half years." 

"Oh." The woman said. "Then her death must come as a shock. I'm sorry to be the one to inform you." 

"It's okay." Sonny said quietly, all the while his heart was breaking. Brenda was dead. This time it was real. She was gone forever and she wasn't coming back. "How did she die?" 

"The Mullahans were killed when the pub they owned exploded." Eva Cassidy said quietly. "They were both killed instantly and that leads to why I've contacted you..." 

"Yes?" Sonny asked. 

Eva paused. "I'd rather not discuss it over the phone, if that's all right. I'm in Port Charles now and I was wondering if I could arrange a meeting with you for this afternoon." 

"Sure." Sonny said. "Where?" 

"How about the Port Charles Grille in an hour?" Eva asked. 

"I'll be there." Sonny said, before handing up. 

He stared at the phone. 

Brenda was gone. He had lost her once and wasn't sure then how he would go on and now he had to do it all over again. Oh, things were different now, he had Carly and the children, but... Brenda was Brenda and losing her was still like losing a part of himself.   



	2. Part One

Meghan   
By Misha 

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue._

Part One

"Mr. Corinthos?" A good-looking woman in her thirties stood up to meet him when he approached her table. 

"Ms. Cassidy?" He asked with a smile. 

She nodded. "Yes." She sat down and Sonny took the seat across from her. 

"I'm sure you're curious as to why I wanted to meet with you." Eva said after a moment. 

"That crossed my mine, yes." Sonny admitted. 

"It has to do with Mrs. Mullahan's will." Eva explained. "First of all, I have to ask, were you aware of Meghan's existence?" 

"Who?" Sonny asked in disbelief. 

"Meghan was the Mullahan's ten month-old daughter." Eva told him. "You see, the reason I'm asking is because, Mrs. Mullahan named you as Meghan's legal guardian should anything happen to herself and her husband." 

Sonny stared at her. "What?" 

"She named you as Meghan's guardian." The lawyer repeated. "You can refuse, of course, Mrs. Mullahan's sister has already expressed an interest in raising the child." 

Sonny blanched. He had never been Julia's biggest fan and wasn't sure how he felt about the idea of her raising Brenda's little girl. Especially since he knew how she had reacted to Brenda's feistiness, he was sure that she would go out of her way to make sure that Meghan had none of her mother's spirit. 

"What about Brenda's husband?" He asked quietly. "Didn't he have any family?" 

"No." Eva answered. "Mr. Mullahan's parents both passed away several years ago and he had no siblings." 

Sonny paused, trying to figure out what to do. He knew that Carly would probably not be happy about the idea, yet at the same time he knew what he had to do. 

"Let me talk to my wife." He said finally. "But, unless she has any serious objections, I'll take Brenda's child." 

The lawyer looked at him. "If you don't mind me asking, what was your relationship to Mrs. Mullahan?" She asked. "I always assumed you were an old family friend, but your lack of knowledge confuses me." 

"Let's just say that Brenda and I once meant the world to each other." Sonny said quietly. "Time changed that, of course, it changed everything. Still, we had quite a history." 

He stood up. "I'll call you as soon as I've talked to Carly." 

"All right." The lawyer agreed. 

Sonny left the restaurant, wondering how he was going to get his wife to agree to this. 

Carly looked up when Sonny came in. 

"There you are." She said with a smile. "I was wondering where you were." 

Her smile faded when she saw the look on his face. "What's wrong?" 

"Brenda's dead." Sonny said flatly. "Really dead this time. She and her husband were killed in an explosion." 

Carly didn't know what to say. She had never liked Brenda, but she knew that she had once met the world to Sonny and knew that this had to hurt. 

"Her husband?" She said finally. "Brenda was married?" 

"Apparently." Sonny said quietly. He paused. "Carly, her attorney called and I just finished meeting with her. Brenda had a daughter, Meghan, and... She named me her legal guardian." 

"You're kidding, right?" Carly asked in disbelief. "Brenda left you her child?" 

"Yeah." Sonny said. "I guess there was no one else. She's never gotten along with her sister and her husband had no family. Carly, I want to take her in." 

Carly didn't know how to react. Sonny had just told her he wanted to raise his ex-lover's child. 

"How old is she?" She asked, for lack of anything else. 

"She's a year old." Sonny said quietly. "She'll never know her mother. Carly, I don't know why Brenda chose me, but I do know that I let her down too many times in the past and I'm going to let her down now." 

"Okay." Carly said quietly. 

She wasn't thrilled with the idea, but she did like kids and she knew that this meant a lot to Sonny. Besides, as Sonny said, it wasn't like Meghan would ever remember her mother.   



	3. Part Two

Meghan   
By Misha 

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue._

Part Two

"Mr. Corinthos, I'd like you to meet Meghan." Eva said later that afternoon as she handed the child over to Sonny. 

Sonny took one look at the baby and his heart melted. She looked so much like Brenda that it broke his heart. 

Carly looked over his shoulder at the child. "She's beautiful." She said softly. 

Sonny smiled at her, he knew that it wasn't easy for her to agree to raise Brenda's child and it meant a lot to him that she was willing to try. 

"Of course, there's still some paper work to go through before you're officially Meghan's guardians." Eva warned them. "But as it was what Mr. and Mrs. Mullahan wished, there should be no problems. Though, for the record, would you be willing to adopt Meghan or would you rather raise her as a ward?" 

"It's up to you." Sonny told Carly, knowing it had to be her choice. 

Carly took the baby from his arms and stared down at her for a long moment. 

"I'd like to adopt her." She said finally. "I don't want her to ever feel like she doesn't belong. I want her to be legally our child, just like Michael and Morgan." 

Sonny nodded, instantly recognizing the other reason, the one that Carly didn't want to voice in front of the lawyer. By adopting Meghan, it made her a little bit more theirs and a little less Brenda's. Which Carly needed. 

"Okay." Eva said. "I'll have the papers drawn up. It should only take a few weeks at the most, in the meantime, Mr. Corinthos, this is for you." She handed him an envelope. 

Sonny took it and frowned. "What is it?" 

"It's a letter from Mrs. Mullahan, she asked me to give it to you in case of her death." Eva explained. 

Sonny nodded, curious as to what Brenda had to say, but knowing that this was not the time to find out. 

No, he'd rather wait until he was alone. 

That night, Sonny sat alone in the living room. Carly was upstairs in bed and Meghan was at the hotel with Eva where she would stay until the paperwork was finalized. 

Sonny and Carly would visit with the little girl every day and this gave them time to become familiar with her, but also to prepare 9 year-old Michael and 2 year-old Morgan for her arrival. 

They had quite a family now. Three children. It was more than Sonny had ever dared hope for. 

After a moment, he took out the letter from Brenda and prepared to read her final words to him. 

_Dear Sonny, _

If you're reading this, then I'm dead. For real this time. 

Wow. I don't really want to think about that. I wonder how old I am. 

Not too old, obviously, because if you're reading this, then Meghan is still under the age of eighteen. 

Meghan, my baby girl. She's six weeks old now and so beautiful. 

I always wanted kids, but I never realized how much I would love them until she was placed into my arms. I never knew that I could love anyone that way. It was a pretty amazing experience. 

As I'm sure you know by now, I've named you Meghan's legal guardian in case anything happens to Pat and I. 

I wonder if I'll have gotten the chance to warn you, or if it was just sprung on you. I do intend to call you one of these days and explain it all to you myself, but... You know me, I tend to procasinate. That's why I wrote this letter, so that you weren't completely blind-sided by the news. 

Besides, Pat keeps telling me, you can't name someone the guardian of your child without some explanation or knowledge. Pat wasn't all that impressed that I had named you without asking you first, but... Well, you know me. 

Changing the subject, do you know about Pat? He's my husband. We met within days of my leaving Port Charles, right after I arrived in Ireland. 

It was love at first sight. We married three months after we met, no dilly-dallying. I knew that this time it was right. 

It was nothing like the loves of my past. I've thought about it a lot these last two years. 

You were my first love, my grand passion. We had all the passion in the world and oh, how we burned. Too hot, I think, because in the end, it exploded and we both got burnt badly. 

Then, there was Jax. I realize now that my love for him was always a bit shallow, the fairy tale love that had no real depth. After you, I needed something safe and he was there. I think I made it out to be more than it was. 

And weirdly enough, I'm actually grateful that he called it off. I would never have had the guts and I know that it would have been a disaster had we gotten married. We really were wrong for each other. 

Pat taught me that. 

He's the enduring love of my life. He makes me feel alive, just like you did, but he also gives me the safety I sought with Jax. 

It's everything I've ever wanted. I wanted you to know that. To know that I've finally found the happiness you always wanted for me, the same kind of happiness that I'm glad that you've found with Carly. 

Now, back to the subject, at hand. Meghan. I'm sure you were surprised when you learnt that I named you her guardian and I suppose you want to know why. It's quite simple, I couldn't think of anyone else I'd rather raise my daughter if I couldn't do it myself. 

I know that Julia would be willing, but I don't know, I guess the idea is kind of abhorrent to me. I have the feeling that Julia would attempt to iron out any of qualities that Meghan had inherited from me and I don't want that for my daughter. I want her to be allowed to be herself. And I know you'll let her. 

I also know that you'll love her. She could have been ours, Sonny, if things had been different. 

Until the moment she was placed in my arms, I dreamed of brown-eyed babies with beautiful dimples. I love Meghan, just the way she is, but it's hard to let go of your dreams. I know that those dreams passed us by a long time ago, but... 

It's so hard to let go and maybe that's why yours was the first name that popped into my head when Pat suggested that we choose someone to care for Meghan if anything should happen to us. 

A part of me still thinks that she should have been ours, yours and mine, and now, in a way, she is. I'm gone Sonny and I ask you to take care of my daughter and to love her as I would. 

I know that's it a lot to ask, but I can't help it. Do this one thing for me, for all that we ever meant to one another. Raise my child and love her as if she was yours, knowing that a part of me always wanted her to be. 

Yours Forever,   
Brenda 

Sonny put down the letter. 

Brenda's words had affected him deeply. 

As much as he loved Carly and valued the life they had together, a piece of him had never let go of Brenda. 

He closed his eyes. He knew that he would honor Brenda's request. He would love Meghan as if she was his child. 

It wouldn't be hard, in a way, he already thought of her as such. He had once loved Brenda deeply and it was easy to pass that love onto her child. 

He hadn't been able to give Brenda the life he had wanted to, nor had he been able to keep her safe, but he could try his hardest to give Meghan those things. 

He would give her the life that Brenda would have wanted for her. He would do it for Meghan herself, but also for her mother, the woman Sonny had loved, but had never been able to save....   



	4. Part Three

Meghan   
By Misha 

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue._

Part Three

_Fifteen Years Later_

Carly heard raised voices and figured that her daughter's were arguing yet again. She got up from where she was going over the books for the Cellar and headed up to the Meghan's room. 

Megan, only a week away from her sixteenth birthday, and Morgan, who had just turned seventeen, were there, glaring at one another. 

"What's the problem?" She asked with a sigh. The two girls exchanged glances. 

"Morgan took my top without asking." Meghan complained. "I wanted to wear it tonight and now it's all dirty." 

"Morgan, you know better than to borrow Meghan's clothes without asking." Carly scolded, then she turned to Meghan. "Don't you have another shirt you can wear and what's so important about tonight?" 

"I have a date." Meghan said with a smile. "I told you." 

"I must have forgotten." Carly apologized. "Who with? Not James?" 

James was Jason and Carly's son, he was the same age as Meghan and worshipped the ground she walked on. But she didn't return his feelings, at least not that Carly had seen. 

"No." Meghan answered, rolling her eyes. "Chris Nichols, a guy from school, he's a senior." 

"Ah." Carly said, eyeing Morgan. 

Now she understood why Morgan had taken the shirt that she knew that her sister had wanted to wear. Her nose was out of joint that one of her classmen had asked her younger sister out. 

Carly looked at her two daughters, excessing them silently. Morgan was a cross between her and Sonny. She had long black hair and sharp brown eyes, was very tall and thin. She was a very attractive girl. 

However, her sister put her to shame. As hard as it was for Carly to take sometimes, Meghan was the spitting image of Brenda. The only difference that Brenda could see was that Morgan's eyes were a clear green, a trait that she must have gotten from her father. 

Morgan and Meghan were always in competition. Both girls were tricky and manipulative. Sonny always said that they both took after their mothers and Carly had to wonder if he wasn't right. 

Morgan often tried to use Meghan's adopted status against her, while Meghan often played on the close bond between her and Sonny to get her own way. 

Sonny adored all three of his children, but sometimes Carly suspected that with Meghan it was different. She was Brenda's daughter, all he had left of the woman he had once adored, and he saw her as his second chance to make right all the wrongs he had done to Brenda. 

At first it had bothered Carly, the affection that Sonny held for Brenda's child, but that had soon changed. She had grown to love Meghan as if she were her own and treated her as such. 

In her eyes, all three of her children were equal. 

Coming back to Earth, she smiled at Meghan. 

"Does your father know?" Sonny was a rather protective father. 

Meghan rolled her eyes. "Yes and he gave me a nice lecture." 

"I bet." Carly said. "Well, I'll leave you to get ready and Morgan, leave your sister's clothes alone." 

Morgan made a face, but nodded. 

With that Carly turned and left the room. 

"You lied to Mom." Morgan stated as soon as Carly was out of sight. 

Meghan looked at her sister. "Did you expect me to do any different?" 

"Meg, you know Mom and Dad will blow a gasket when they find out the truth." 

"Who says they have to find out?" Meghan asked with a shrug. "We both know that Chris would take me out in a minute if I asked." 

"True." Morgan said slowly. "But we also both know that you're not going out with him. Meg, going out with Lawrence Brendan is a bad idea." 

Meghan rolled her eyes. "Why?" 

"How about the fact that no one knows exactly _why_ he's in Port Charles or anything about him for that matter, except that he's rich. Or the fact that Dad specifically told us to stay away from him." Morgan said. "What about the fact that he's eleven years older than you?" 

"What about it?" Meghan asked with a smile. 

"He's twenty-seven!" Morgan exploded. "You're not even sixteen yet, you don't see a problem with that?" 

"My mother was only eighteen when she started dating Daddy and he was a lot older." Meghan argued. 

Morgan frowned. "Mom was way older than 18..." Then she paused. "Oh. You meant **your** mother." 

The girls rarely talked about the fact that Meghan was adopted, in fact neither of them thought about it all that often. However, it was something they were aware of and Sonny often talked to Meghan about Brenda, feeling that she had a right to know. 

"Still, age aside, Meghan you have to know that this is a bad idea or you wouldn't be sneaking around about it." 

Meghan shrugged. "Morgan, I just want some time without the restrictions of being Sonny Corinthos' daughter. Can't you understand?" 

"Yes, even if I do think you're playing with fire." Morgan agreed reluctantly. "But what about the guards? You know Daddy hates us going out without them." 

"I convinced him that just this once, I'd be safe." Meghan said with a smile. "I just pointed out that it's a little intimidating dating a girl who comes complete with bodyguard. It took a lot of pleading, but he finally gave in." 

Morgan shook her head. "Only you, Meg, only you." Then she sighed. "Just be careful, okay? Don't do anything too stupid tonight."   



	5. Part Four

Meghan   
By Misha 

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue._

Part Four

Sonny let himself into the penthouse. 

"Hey." He said, greeting his wife with a kiss. 

"Hey, you." She said with a smile. "Meghan's got a date tonight." 

Sonny sighed. "Yes, I know. She even managed to talk me into letting her go out with a guard." 

Carly raised an eyebrow. "That's unlike you." 

Sonny made a face. "I know. But things have been quiet lately and..." 

"You have never mastered the art of saying no to your daughters." Carly said with a laugh. "I've never understood it, you can say it to me well enough." 

Sonny rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but you never listen." 

"True." Carly said with a laugh. 

Just then, the girls came flying down the stairs. Meghan was all dressed up, presumably for her date and Morgan was right behind her, also dressed up. 

"Are you going out too?" Sonny asked his elder daughter. 

"I'm going to the movies with Angie, David and James." Morgan explained. 

Angie and David were Elizabeth Spencer's son and daughter by Ric Lansing. 

Elizabeth had divorced Ric when it had come out that he had kidnapped Carly in the hopes of taking Morgan and giving her to Elizabeth. Within a month of leaving Ric, Elizabeth had discovered she was pregnant again. Lucky had helped her through the pregnancy and they had fallen in love all over again. They had married just before the twins were born. 

Sonny's distaste of Ric did not extend to his son and daughter and Sonny was very fond of his niece and nephew, he and Jason had also both repaired their friendship with Elizabeth after she left Ric. 

"Ah. Have fun." Sonny bade her. 

Morgan nodded. Sonny turned to Meghan. "Where are you meeting your date?" He asked. "Is he picking you up here?" 

Meghan shook her head. "No, I'm meeting him at Kelly's." 

"Do you need a ride there?" Sonny asked. 

"No. Morgan's going to drop me off." Meghan answered. 

"Well have fun and you both better be home by curfew." Sonny told them. 

The girls rolled their eyes. 

"We know." They said in unison. They grabbed their bags and prepared to go when the door opened. 

"Hey." Michael said, as he entered, dropping his bag on the floor. 

Sonny grinned as he saw his son. Michael was in New York getting his degree in accounting and he rarely came home. 

"Michael!" Carly exclaimed, hugging her son enthusiastically. 

"Hey Mom." 

"What are you doing home?" Carly asked as soon as she let Michael go. "I thought you weren't coming home until Meghan's birthday next week." 

"I decided I needed a break." Michael said. "So I hopped on a plane and here I am. There's nothing I can't miss in the next week, so I'll stay until after Meggie's birthday and then go back." 

"Well, I'm glad." Carly said affectionately. "We don't get to see you again." 

Michael rolled his eyes and then turned his attention to his sisters. "Hey brats." He said teasingly. 

The two girls grinned and ran at him. Morgan reached him first and Michael picked her up and spun her around before putting her down and doing the same thing to Meghan. 

"How are my favorite girls?" Michael asked. "Any chance I can take you out and catch up?" 

Sonny saw the conflict on both girl's faces. Especially Meghan's. 

"I'm going out with the gang." Morgan said. "You can come too, but Meg--" 

"Had plans, which are easily cancellable." Meghan interrupted after a moment. "Just let me make a quick phone call." 

"Sure thing Meg-pie." Michael said. 

Meghan grinned and ran upstairs. Morgan ran up after her. 

Sonny and Carly exchanged looks. 

"You are the answer to a prayer." Sonny said, shaking his head. 

Michael looked confused. "What did I do?" 

"Meghan had a date." Carly explained. "And you know how much her father hates it when she goes out..." 

"Meggie had a date?" Michael asked. "She didn't have to cancel it. I would have understood." 

"I think your sister figures that she can go out anytime, but she only gets to see her favorite brother once in a while." Carly pointed out. 

Michael shrugged. "I guess. I have to admit the idea of her dating disturbs me, when did she get old enough?" 

Sonny looked at his son and shook his head. "Don't asked me, son. Don't ask me." 


	6. Part Five

Meghan   
By Misha 

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue._

Part Five

"I'm going out." James Morgan called as he reached for the door. His mother popped out from the kitchen. 

"Where are you going?" Courtney wanted to know. 

"A bunch of us are going to the movies." James told her, as Jason came into the room from his den. 

"You driving?" Jason asked. 

"Morgan is." James answered. "It's her turn." 

"Who's all going?" Courtney asked. "Just you Meghan and Morgan?" 

"No, it'll be me, Morgan, Angie, and David. Meg's got a date." He said, making a face. 

Courtney nodded. "Ah." 

She knew her son had feelings for the youngest Corinthos girl . "James, she is your cousin." She said gently. 

"Not really." James argued. "There's no blood between us." 

"But legally..." Courtney argued as she had many times before. 

"Legally we're cousins." James agreed. "But so are Maxie and Lucas Jones and they're married." 

Courtney had to concede his point. James always used Maxie and Lucas as an example whenever people commented on the relationship between him and Meghan. 

Before Courtney could reply, there was a knock on the door. 

Jason answered it. "Hey Morgan." He said, as he let his niece into the apartment. 

"Hey Uncle Jason, Aunt Courtney." She said with a smile, then turned to James. "There's been a change in plans." 

"We're not going to the movies?" James asked. 

"Oh, we are, but we're taking two cars." Morgan told him. "Michael came home for the weekend, so he and Meg are joining us." 

"I thought Meghan had a date." Courtney commented, entering into the conversation. 

"She canceled it." Morgan said. "You know she dotes on Michael. She didn't want to miss his visit." 

James face lit up at the news, Courtney noted this with disapproval. She didn't like James crush on Meghan and went out of her way to discourage it. 

In fact, though she tried to hide her feelings, Courtney wasn't all that fond of Meghan. 

Unlike everyone else, she was unable to forget that Meghan wasn't Sonny and Carly's child and that she was Brenda's child. 

That fact became even harder for her to ignore the older Meghan became. Looking at her was just like looking at Brenda all over again and even though the other woman was dead and buried, Courtney still couldn't let go of her dislike. 

She didn't know why she had hated Brenda as much as she had, but the emotions hadn't gone away, in fact she had carried that feeling on towards Brenda's daughter. 

She tried not to, but she couldn't help but see Meghan as an extension of Brenda, back from the grave to haunt her forever. 

"I'm so glad you're home." Meghan told him warmly. 

"I'm glad to be home." Michael told her. "It's good to see you, Meg-pie." 

They had all stopped for food after the movie and Morgan was deep in discussion with Angie while David and James were arguing about something other, leaving Meghan and Michael to talk. 

Michael studied his youngest sister. She was gorgeous, but he had always figured that she would be. Morgan was good-looking, too, but not in the same league as Meghan. 

Michael looked at her and remembered her mother. It was strange that he could still remember Brenda clearly even though she had only been in his life for a few months when he was very small. 

Still, he had fond memories of the vibrant and enthusiastic woman who lived on in her daughter. Meghan was very much like her mother, not just physically, but in personality. 

"I miss you when you're gone." Meghan complained. "I wish you weren't away so often." 

"Sorry, Meg-pie." Michael said with a slight smile. "I'll try to get home more often." 

"Good." Meghan replied. "You'd better." 

"So how did Lawrence react to you canceling your date?" Morgan asked later that night when she and Meghan were back at the penthouse. 

"He understood." Meghan answered with a smile. "We rescheduled for next week. Oh, and I also have a real date with Chris Nichols in that time." 

"So that if anyone asks him, you really are going out with him." Morgan said with a nod, understanding how her sister worked. "I'm sure he was thrilled." 

"Pretty much." Meghan admitted with a grin, then she changed the subject. "It's wonderful to have Michael home, isn't it?" 

"It is." Morgan agreed with a grin of her own. "He doesn't come home enough." 

"Talking about me?" Michael asked from the doorway of Morgan's room. 

"Always." Meghan responded with a sassy grin. 

Michael rolled his eyes as he entered the room. He sat down on the bed between them and wrapped an arm around each of them. 

"It is good to see you both again." He told them fondly. "I've missed my two favorite girls." 

"You know, I'm sure there's a long list of women who would disappointed to hear you refer to us that way." Morgan teased him. 

Michael grinned. "Well, you know how it is..." 

Both Meghan and Morgan groaned and MIchael laughed. 

"Seriously, there are women, but no one serious." Michael said with a shrug. "Now, what about you two? I'm sure you each have to beat them off with a stick." 

He aimed the comment at both of them, but his gaze rested on Meghan. 

Morgan followed it without malice. She knew that she and her sister were in different categories. It had always been that way and it always would be. 

"Our fair share." Morgan admitted. "Meg more than me, they all fall at her feet." 

Meghan grinned. "What can I say?" She said with a mock-sigh. "I'm irresistible." 

Michael just laughed and pulled her closer, while Morgan watched with a thoughtful smile. 

_Yes you are little sister, yes you are._ She thought, watching her brother and sister together. _I just hope that it doesn't get you in trouble._   



	7. Part Six:

Meghan   
By Misha 

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue._

Part Six

Sonny was the first one up the next morning. He stood staring out the window, lost in thought. 

He had gone over some paperwork that needed to be done and had also looked over the report that Jason had compiled on Lawrence Brendan. There was very little there, it was as if the man had popped out of nowhere, a fact that displeased Sonny. He liked to always know **exactly** what he was dealing with. 

"Daddy?" 

Sonny turned and saw Meghan coming down the stairs. She was still in her pajamas, her dark hair caught up in a messy ponytail. 

Sonny looked at her and felt his breath catch in his throat. It was like looking at Brenda for the first time all over again. His beautiful Brenda, who had never been meant to be his for more than a moment and was lost to him forever. 

Except, not quite, because she was still with, was always with him. Brenda lived on in her daughter. 

"Hey Princess." Sonny said, going to meet her at the foot of the stairs. "You're up early." 

"I know." Meghan said with a shrug, hugging him warmly. 

Sonny led her over to the couch and she curled up next to him, just she had when she was a little girl. 

Sonny looked at her and had to admit that she was growing up, much too fast for his liking. 

Though, all of his children were precious to him, Meghan was his baby girl. The child he had dreamed of since a day on the dock when the most extraordinary woman walked into his life. 

He had thought the dream had died when he left that woman at the alter and that it had been destroyed forever in icy waters a year later. But that wasn't so, a miracle occurred and his angel came back into his life, but not to him, because a new love and new dream had replaced her. 

Still, the dream of the little girl who looked just like her lingered, even after two other daughters were brought into the world. He loved Morgan and Kristina, though she was not really a part of his life, dearly, but a part of him still couldn't let go of the old dream, no matter how impossible it seemed. 

Then, Meghan came into his life, the embodiment of that dream. She was his child in his heart, if not his blood. Just like Michael was the son he had always longed for, Meghan was the daughter he had dreamed of. 

He loved Morgan, but she was different than her siblings, he hadn't thought about her until later, until he met Carly and fell in love with her and thought of having a family with her and as much as he loved Kristina, he hadn't given any thought to her until she already existed, where as his wish for a son had always been there and his dreams of a daughter had come unbidden in a moment. 

"Is something on your mind, Princess?" Sonny asked now, looking into his daughter's eyes. 

"Not really." Meghan told him. "It's nice to have Michael home, isn't it?" 

"It is." Sonny agreed. "You miss him don't you?" 

Meghan giggled. "Oh, yeah. I mean, I used to think it was a pain to have a big brother, but now that he's not around much, I know just how lucky I am." 

"I'll remind you of that next time you and he get into an argument over his overprotectiveness." Sonny teased her. 

Meghan rolled her eyes. "Well, some parts still suck, but what can I do? I'm surrounded by overprotective men." 

Sonny knew that was true. He, Jason, Michael, all of them were very protective over Meghan and Morgan, not just because of the dangerous world they lived, but because his daughters stirred a natural protective instinct in all of them. Even if they didn't particularly like it. 

"Sorry, sweetheart, it's never going away." Sonny told Meghan. 

She laughed. "That's okay, Daddy, I'm used to it, by now." She told him with a smile. 

"You don't mind the guards and the security?" Sonny asked quietly, knowing how much those things had bothered Brenda. Though, she had chosen to give her child to him, he wasn't sure she'd be a hundred percent happy with her daughter growing up in his fortress-like home. 

"Not really." Meghan answered, after a moment. "I don't like them, I think it's a pain, but I understand why I have to have them. Why do you ask?" 

"Your mother despised the guards, the bullet proof windows, all of it." Sonny told her quietly. "I just wondered if that rubbed off on you." 

"You mean Brenda." Meghan said softly. 

"Yes." Sonny told her. 

Meghan shrugged. "I might hate it if I ahd known anything else, but I don't, so I accept it." 

Meghan paused for a long moment. "Is that why you let her go? Because she didn't fit in this world?" She asked finally. 

It was Sonny's turn to pause, unsure what to say. He had told Meghan some of the story. How he had loved Brenda and eventually left her, how things had never been right for them and in the end they found happiness with other people. But, he had never gone into the messy details. 

"Yes and no." He answered finally. "I left to save her life, but the reason I never came back until I thought she was dead was because I had realized that though she'd live the life for me, I couldn't do that to her. Which is why I couldn't come back to Port Charles, because if I did, I wouldn't be able to stop myself from claiming her again, she was my blood." 

"But she came back, didn't she?" Meghan challenged. 

"She did." Sonny admitted. "And it was tempting. I saw her again and all I could do was thank God for bringing her back to me. But it wasn't meant to be. By then, I had fallen in love with your mother and both Brenda and I had realized that as much as we loved each other, we were no good together, so I let her go and she let me go." 

"Do you regret it?" Meghan asked. "Letting her go?" 

"No." Sonny answered softly. "Sometimes I wonder what might have been, but I don't regret it. If I hadn't let her go, I wouldn't have your mother and your siblings in my life and I wouldn't have you. To have all these blessings, I had to let Brenda go." 

Sonny paused and then looked straight into his daughter's eyes. 

"I miss her sometimes and I regret that she died so young, but I let Brenda go a long time ago." He told her gently. "Besides, she's not really gone, she lives on in you. My daughter who was her daughter first. That's enough for me."

* * *


	8. Part Seven

Meghan   
By Misha 

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue._

Part Seven

"What were you Daddy talking about this morning?" Morgan asked later, as she and Meghan sat in Morgan's room listening to music. 

Morgan had come downstairs for breakfast, to see her father and sister curled up on the couch in conversation. The conversation had ended with her presence and the three of them made breakfast, chatting easily, but Morgan couldn't help feel as if she had interrupted something important. 

"My mother." Meghan said quietly, speaking in the tone she always used when she talked about her birth mother. "He was talking about how she hated his world." 

"Is that why they never stayed together?" Morgan asked. 

She knew that their father had been involved with Meghan's biological mother at one point, but that the relationship had ended before any of them were born. 

"Not really." Meghan answered. "Daddy just said that they were too different. They loved each other, but could never be happy together." 

"So instead they each married other people." 

"Yeah." Megan said softly. "But some love had to remain, otherwise my mother wouldn't have sent me to him, would she?" 

"True." Morgan agreed. "She must have still cared deeply for him." 

"I think she did, she just understood that they could never make each other happy, that's why she let him go." Meghan said quietly. "Because that was the only way they could each get what they needed." 

The girls were quiet for a moment. 

"They loved each other, destroyed each other, left each other, but in the end, they always belonged to one another." Meghan said finally. "I can't even imagine that, can you?" 

"No." Morgan agreed. "It must have been special, their bond. For her to have given you to him."

* * *

Sonny was going over some paperwork in his study when the phone rang. "Hello?" 

"Mr. Corinthos?" A woman's voice, slightly familiar, asked from the other end. 

"Yes, who is this?" 

"This is Eva Cassidy, we met years ago." The other woman said. 

Sonny paused at the memory. Brenda's lawyer, the one who had told him that the woman who owned more of him than any other was dead, and who had also brought Meghan to him. He hadn't spoken to her since the adoption had been finalized. 

"I remember." Sonny said finally. 

"I'm calling because, Meghan Mullahan will turn sixteen in a few days." Eva continued. "Mrs. Mullahan left a letter for her daughter and a box of belongings, instructing that she be given them at the age of sixteen. She'll get the rest of her inheritance at twenty-one, of course, like we arranged." 

"Of course." Sonny agreed. 

They had spoken about this at the time of the adoption. Patrick Mullahan had been well off and he had left a decent inheritance for his child, not that Meghan would ever want for anything, but... Sonny and Carly had decided to invest the money and give it to Meghan when she was older. 

It was the personal things that Sonny had more interest in than the money, those had been stored and would be given to Meghan on her eighteenth birthday. 

Still, it appeared that Brenda had had other ideas, it didn't surprise him. That was typical. He didn't know what was in the box, he had never sorted through Brenda's belongings--he'd never had the guts for that. 

"I'm in New York on business, so I thought I'd drop them off personally." Eva Cassidy continued. "Is that all right?" 

"Yes." Sonny agreed. "Thank you."

* * *

"So Meggie turns sixteen next week." Michael said to his mother with a grin. 

The two of them had gone out for the afternoon, to spend some time together. 

Carly sighed. "I know, I feel so old. My baby's sixteen." 

"Got big plans?" Michael asked. "I mean, I know you wanted me here, but..." 

"We'll have a dinner with the family." Carly told him. "Then, Meghan's having a party at the Cellar with her friends." 

"Sounds good." Michael said with a nod. "So, what's she getting for her birthday?" 

Carly grinned. "Not a chance am I telling you. You've never been able to keep a secret from your sister." 

Michael grinned in return. "Can I help it if she's very persuasive?" 

"That she is." Carly agreed with a smile. "She's a natural charmer, it must be the Irish in her." 

She didn't want to mention that it could be her mother in her. Beautiful, charming Brenda. Who's child Carly had taken as her own, but who she could never replace. 

Meghan might be Carly's child now, but Brenda would always be a part of her. Nothing could change that.

* * *


	9. Part Eight

Meghan   
By Misha 

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue._

Part Eight

_A couple of days later_

"Tomorrow's the big day." Morgan said with a grin as she and Meghan headed towards Kelly's. "Sweet sixteen." 

"I know." Meghan said with a laugh. "I can't wait." 

They reached the restaurant, when Meghan spotted a classmate. 

"Morgan, you can go inside, I'm gonna go talk to Heather about borrowing her science notes, 'kay?" 

Morgan nodded and Meghan walked away to go talk to her friend. 

Morgan watched her sister for a second and then disappeared inside the restaurant to find her grandmother.

* * *

Jax and Skye approached Kelly's slowly. 

This was there first day back in Port Charles after almost sixteen years away. They had reunited and then gone off to Australia to make a life for themselves there. 

"I'm going inside, okay?" Skye told Jax. 

He nodded. "I'll be in in a second." He looked around him, observing the people and then he stopped, unable to believe his eyes. 

There walking towards him was a young woman who looked just like Brenda. But it couldn't be her, he knew she was dead, had heard about the explosion that had claimed her life several months after the fact. 

Besides, this girl was too young to be Brenda. She looked even younger than Brenda had been the day he met her. But, there was no mistaking the similarities between the two. 

As she came closer, he reached out a hand to stop her. 

She looked at him in confusion. 

"Excuse me." He told her. "It's just that you look like someone I knew a long, long time ago." 

"Brenda Barrett, right?" The girl asked in a soft voice. 

"Yes." Jax confirmed. 

"I'm her daughter." The girl said with a smile. 

Jax stared, even more surprised. He had never realized that Brenda had had a child. He wondered where she ahd been all these years. "Her daughter?" 

The girl nodded. "Yes. I'm Meghan, you didn't know I existed?" 

"No, I lost contact with Brenda before she died." 

"Oh." The girl said. "But, I've lived in Port Charles since I was a baby. I was adopted when my birth parents died." 

"I left here a long time ago." Jax told her. "And I haven't been back." 

Meghan nodded. "I understand. Still, if you knew my real mother, you probably know my adoptive parents. She sent me to them, wanted them to raise me if she couldn't." 

"I probably know them then." Jax agreed, wondering who they were. Who had Brenda trusted enough to give her child into their care? The Quartermaines? No, Brenda wouldn't do that to a helpless baby, besides he would have heard if she had. "Or at least I'm sure I did once, what's your last name?" 

"Corinthos." Meghan said with a smile. "My parents are Sonny and Carly Corinthos." 

Corinthos. Jax stared in horror. Brenda had given her child to Corinthos? How was that possible? 

"Meghan!" The girl turned at the sound of her name. A young man with red hair was standing there. He looked vaguely familiar, but Jax couldn't place him. 

The young man moved to Meghan's side and placed a protective hand on her shoulder. "Who's your friend?" 

Meghan smiled. "I'm afraid I didn't catch your name." She told Jax. 

"Jasper Jacks." Jax said and saw the young man raise an eyebrow. Jax turned to him. "I've been out of the country for several years and just returned. I saw Meghan and I was startled by her resemblance to her mother, I knew Brenda several years ago, but never heard that she left a child." 

The young man just nodded and looked at the girl. "Meggie, Dad wanted me to come get you. He wants to talk to you." 

Jax realized that this young man had to be Michael. He had grown up quite a bit. 

Meghan smiled. "Okay. Just let me get Morgan and we can go." 

Michael nodded. 

Meghan turned to Jax. "It was nice to meet you, Mr. Jacks." 

"It was nice to meet you too." Jax told her. 

She smiled again and disappeared inside Kelly's, Michael following her, after shooting one more glance at Jax. 

Jax watched them go, still torn by emotion. 

Brenda's daughter. It was a gift, the idea that part of Brenda remained, but the idea of her being raised by Sonny... It made Jax want to puke. 

Just then Skye exited the restaurant. "I don't suppose I have to ask why you look so startled do I?" She asked softly. "It's quite a resemblance." 

"It is." Jax said softly. "She's Brenda's daughter." 

Skye nodded. "I figured it had to be something like that. What's she doing in Port Charles?" 

"She's being raised by Corinthos." Jax told her, but even saying it left a bitter taste in his mouth. 

How could Brenda have given her child to that monster? It just made no sense.

* * *

**Ashton-91**- Thank you, I will. 

**womanofportcharles**- Thank you, I update when I can. 

**Underscored**- Thank you. 


	10. Part Nine

Meghan   
By Misha 

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue._

Part Nine

Sonny was sitting at his desk in his study, waiting for Meghan. 

He had decided to give her the things from Brenda a day early. Give her time for her birth mother's words to sink in. 

"Daddy, you wanted to talk to me?" Meghan asked, as she appeared in the doorway. 

He nodded. "Come here, Princess." 

Meghan did as she was told, crossing the room so that she stood next to Sonny's desk. 

Sonny picked up a box that was lying on it and handed it to Meghan. He also handed her an envelope. 

"These are from your mother." He told her. "Brenda, she wanted you to have them when you turned 16 and I figured one day wouldn't hurt." 

Meghan nodded and took them. 

"Go." Sonny told her. "I'm sure you're eager to look at them." 

Meghan nodded again and turned to go. 

Sonny watched her, once again struck by how much like Brenda she was. He had lost her, yet a piece of her remained. It was comforting.

* * *

Meghan placed the box on her bed and sat down beside it. 

She opened the envelope. She was dying to read her birth mother's words. 

She took out the several pieces of paper included and began to read. 

_Dear Meghan, _

My sweet baby girl, you're sixteen today and I bet you're beautiful. 

I know you are, after all you're the most prettiest baby in the entire world, so how could you grow up to be anything but beautiful? I'll admit I'm biased, after all I'm your mother. 

If you're reading this, then I'm dead and I probably died when you were very little, since I intend to write a new letter every year of your life. 

Right now you're six weeks old and I love you so much. I never knew it was possible to love someone as much as I love you and I've loved lots of people a whole lot. 

Three people more than all the others and two more than the third. One of them doesn't matter and I won't get into him. Why waste paper on the ancient past. 

But the other two do matter. 

One is your father, Patrick. 

I love him like I've never loved anyone. The moment I met him it was like all the other men I've loved have just been leading me up to that moment and to that man. 

I assume Patrick is also dead, since this is the letter I wrote in case both of us were killed and you were sent to live with your legal guardian. 

The other significant love of my life. 

Sonny. 

I loved him first, with the passion and enthusiasm of childhood. I loved him deeply, still love him, but I understand him now. Better than I ever did and I realize that Sonny and I were bad for each other, it would never have worked. 

Yet, it was special. 

That's why I gave you to him to raise, because I know he'll love you and that he'll be a great father. The best. 

That brings us back to you, the most important one of all. 

I hope you had a wonderful childhood, even if I wasn't able to give it to you. I hope you grew up strong and good and loved, like every child should. I have faith that you did. 

I wish I could be there with you on your special day, you're sixteenth birthday. I hate the idea of not watching you grow up, of not getting to be your mother. 

Because nothing is more important to me, it means the world that I got to have you and spend whatever time I did with you. 

The best thing I ever did in my entire life was produce you. I didn't know I could create anything that wonderful until the first time I held you. 

That's a feeling, I hope you experience someday, the joy of holding your child in your arms for the first time. 

There's nothing else in the world like it. 

Motherhood is the best thing that ever happened to me, I just wish I'd gotten more of a shot at it. 

If you're reading this particular letter then I died before your first birthday and you grew up calling someone else 'Mom'. 

The thought of that kills me. Mainly just because no woman wants her baby girl to be calling another woman 'Mom', but partially because it's not just any woman. 

It's Carly. I don't like her, probably never will. But, she's Sonny's wife and by sending you to him, I was also sending you to her. 

Which is okay. I may not like her, but I think she'll do a good job. She loves her kids and she'll take you in and care for you. 

She'll do a good job, I know she will. 

Still, it sucks that she's your mother, not me. 

I want so much to be your mom, to watch you grow up and the idea that I won't be able too... It's more painful than I could put into words. 

Still, at least I don't have to worry about what became of you, don't have to fear that your unwanted, or unloved. 

Sonny will take good care of you. 

Of course, many people would probably call me crazy for entrusting my child to a mobster, but... It's Sonny. I'd trust him with my life and yours. 

I hated that life and I know I would never have been happy living it, so I do feel a little guilty about subjecting it, but maybe it won't be so bad if you don't know anything else. 

I just want you to be happy, safe and healthy. I knew that Sonny will do his best to make sure you are, Carly too. If I can't give you the life I want for you myself, then I'm glad that I was able to give you to them and that they could give it to you. 

I just wish I could see you as you read this, get a glimpse of my beautiful little girl at sixteen. 

I know you have the world in front of you and I hope you understand that and appreciate it. 

Live your life to the fullest, my darling, because you never know when it'll be gone. I lost four years of my life to a madman and then obviously the rest too soon. 

But I don't regret the other years. 

I lived my life. I had great friends, great loves, and lot's of experiences. 

I hope the same for you, with a little less pain and agony. I hope you never experience the heartbreak that I did. 

But I do hope you get to experience the love that I did. 

Because for all the pain it brought me, especially with Sonny, it was worth it. For a moment, just one moment, no two people were ever happier. 

I want that kind of love for you, but with a different ending. I want you to live, to love, to have friends and to enjoy your life. 

I hope for me that you will. 

I put aside a box of things, which you no doubt have now received. Just a few things I wanted you to have, including a sixteenth birthday present, just in case. Because sixteen is special. 

I'm actually amazed at how organized I am about all this, not my usual style. But I learnt that life can be unpredictable and that you never know when you're going to go. 

I almost died, in fact I lost four years of my life and by the time I came back, the life I had left behind was gone forever. No going back. But that whole experience was a life lesson, you never know what will happen or if you'll get a chance to say everything that needs to be said. So I thought I'd be prepared. 

I hope none of it comes to play. That the letters that I wrote, that the box of things are all for nought. That the present I bought you is simply one of many that I present you on your sixteenth birthday. That's what I want, but I have no way of knowing if it'll happen. 

If you're reading this, I guess not. 

I'm not sure what else to say. There's so much I want to tell you, but it doesn't transfer to words very easily. 

So I'll keep it simple. 

Happy Birthday darling and remember that I love you more than anything else in the entire world and I know that I would be so very proud of you. 

Your Mother,   
Brenda Barrett-Mullahan 

Meghan put down the letter, tears in her eyes. 

Brenda seemed so real, her words brought her to life, the mother that Meghan had lost. 

Meghan often wonderd about her. 

About the beautiful, vicacious woman her father had loved before her mother. About the woman who's face was the mirror image of Meghan's own. 

Sonny had told Meghan about her all her life, but it wasn't the same as knowing her. Or even reading her own words and imagining her saying them. 

The letter gave Meghan waht she had been missing all her life, it brought a piece of Brenda back to her. 

Carly was her mother, but Brenda had given her life. 

Meghan just sat there for a long moment and then got up. 

She wasn't ready to go through the box yet. She'd do it later, right now she wanted to be with her mother.

* * *

**pixieballerina**- I'm glad you can visualize Meghan. I'm glad you like the story as well. Thank you for your review! 

**saydeeatx**- Thank you. I'm glad you like it. 

**Holly**- Thank you so much, that means a lot to me. I'm glad you liked it. 

**L**- Thank you. 


	11. Part Ten

Meghan   
By Misha 

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue._

Part Ten

"Mama?" 

Carly looked up where she was doing some paperwork to see Meghan standing there. It had been years since her daughter had called her that. 

"What's wrong, baby?" She asked, as Meghan came over to her and wrapped an arm around her. 

"Nothing." Meghan told her. "I love you." 

"I love you too." Carly told her. "But Meghan Erin Corinthos, I know when something is bothering you, so don't try and pretend otherwise. I'm your mother, nothing gets by me." 

Meghan smiled. "Daddy gave me a letter written by my moBrenda." Meghan told her. 

Carly swallowed. "I see." 

"It was weird, reading her words." Meghan confessed. "She told me that she loved me, that she wished she could have seen me grow up, that she was sure I was beautiful, and that she knew I was okay because she had left me in good hands." 

Meghan paused and looked Carly in the eye. "Mama, she said she knew that you'd do a good job raising me and that you'd love me." Meghan told her. 

Carly raised an eyebrow. "Brenda said that?" 

Meghan grinned. "She also said that she didn't like you, but that she knew you were a good mom." 

Carly grinned. "That's more like it." 

"She was right, you're the best." Meghan told her softly. "Mom, Brenda gave birth to me, **you're** my mother." 

"Thank you." Carly said, hugging her daughter. 

"No problem." Meghan said, resting her head against Carly's shoulder. 

Carly patted her head and silently thanked Brenda for giving her this precious child. 

If it wasn't for Brenda, Carly wouldn't have Meghan, and for that she'd always be grateful.

* * *

"So you gave Meghan a letter from Brenda?" Carly asked her husband a little while later. 

Sonny looked at her. "Yeah, the lawyer brought it. Brenda wanted her to have it." 

"And of course even from the grave, Brenda's wishes have to be fulfilled." Carly said sarcastically. 

"Carly, Meghan was hers first." Sonny said patiently. 

"You think I don't know that?" His wife said softly. "She's the image of her. But she's **mine** now Sonny, she has been since the first time I held her." 

"I know." Sonny assured her. "And Meghan knows that too." 

"I know." Carly admitted. "The first thing she did when she read the letter was come tell me that she loved me and that _I_ was her mother, but I could tell that she was really affected by Brenda's words and that upset me. I just can't handle sharing her." 

"Carly..." Sonny said softly. 

Carly smiled ruefully. "Yeah, I know I must sound crazy, worrying about sharing my daughter with a dead woman, but..." 

"It's okay." Sonny told her, understanding. 

He just couldn't sympathize. He never thought about Meghan's birth father and he didn't think she did either. 

Carly could never forget that Meghan wasn't hers, but Sonny often forgot that she wasn't his. Well, not forgot, discounted it. 

Meghan wasn't the child of his body, but she was the child of his dreams, of his heart. 

He never thought of her as anyone else's, because he knew she was supposed to be his. His and Brenda's. 

It might not have happened the way he had always thought, but in the end he was given the daughter whose face had come to him in one moment that changed his life. 

She had been Brenda's, then she was his. Brenda had given her to him and in his mind he was able to forget that Meghan had ever had another father. 

Carly couldn't do the same, because Brenda lingered in her daughter and Sonny had to admit he wouldn't have it any other way. He thought of Carly as Meghan's mother, but he thought of Meghan as Brenda's daughter.

* * *


	12. Part Eleven

Meghan   
By Misha 

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue._

Part Eleven

That night, after dinner Meghan returned to her room, intending to open the box of things from Brenda. Just as she reached for it, there was a knock on her bedroom door. 

"Come in!" Meghan called and grinned when she saw both her siblings. 

"We decided to come bug you." Morgan told her, climbing onto the bed. 

"But we can come back." Michael said, his eyes falling on the box. 

Meghan shook her head. "No, you can stay. Close the door." 

Michael did as she asked and then grabbed her desk chair and sat on it. "What's that?" He asked his sister. 

"It's a box of stuff from Bre-my mother." Meghan answered, her hand lingering on it. "She wanted me to have it when I was sixteen." 

"Meggie, do you want us to leave you to that?" Morgan asked quietly. 

Meghan shook her head. "No, you guys are my family, I mean... I want you here with me." 

Her brother and sister nodded. 

Meghan opened the box and took out the contents, one by one. 

There weren't a lot of things in the box. Two photo albums, a baby blanket, a pretty silver music box, a wrapped package and a card, a small velvet jewelry box, and another envelope. 

Meghan reached for the envelope first and then paused, the envelope was labeled _Carly_. 

Meghan put aside to give it to her mother later. 

She looked at the music box. It was engraved _Meghan Erin Mullahan_ with her date of birth below it. 

She opened it and listened to the sweet song it played. 

"Can I see?" Morgan asked. 

Meghan nodded and handed it to her. 

"It's so pretty." Morgan exclaimed. "They must have given it to you soon after you were born." 

"Probably." Meghan agreed, she shook her head and picked up the blanket. She held it for a moment, before putting it as side as well. 

She reached for the two albums. 

She opened the first one and read the inscription on the inside cover. 

_Megan- _

I thought I'd give you a glimpse of my life before you. In this album you'll see pictures of my past, of friends and lovers from another time and another place. 

Love,   
Your Mother. 

Meghan turned her eyes to the first page and was surprised to see what could be a picture of herself now, except for the eyes. 

_Me, when I first arrived in Port Charles_, was the caption and Meghan knew that she was looking at a picture of Brenda as a teenager. 

"She looks just like you." Morgan breathed. 

Michael got up from the chair and joined his sister's on the bed. 

"She does." He agreed, looking at the picture. "I remember her, a little bit. Meghan, you're just like her." 

Meghan didn't say anything, she just flipped the page. 

The next few pages were full of pictures of different people, a few Meghan didn't know, and some she did, though they were much younger. 

She stopped at one picture and just stared. Her brother and sister did the same. 

"Is that Uncle Jason?" Morgan asked, staring at the picture of the good-looking, but very preppy, young man. 

Meghan read the caption, _The First Jason_. 

"That must have been before his accident." She realized, looking at the picture and shaking her head. 

She turned the page and stopped again. 

_Sonny and I at the beginning,_ read the caption and the picture was of a very young Brenda and a much younger Sonny looking happy together. 

Meghan ran her fingers over in. "They look so in love." She whispered. 

"Yeah." Morgan agreed. 

After a long moment, Meghan flipped the page. There were more pictures of their father, with Brenda, by himself and with other people. 

Meghan turned the pages, looking at the pictures of the people who had once been important to her mother. 

She stopped at another picture. 

_Jax_, was all the caption said and the picture was of a younger version of the blonde man Meghan had met at Kelly's earlier, on the opposite page there was picture of him and Brenda together. 

"I met him." Meghan told her sister. "That was the guy I told you about, the one from Kelly's." 

"It looks like he and your mother were good friends." Morgan commented. 

"Dad doesn't like him." Michael said quietly, looking at his sister. "I kind of remember him from before and I know that he and Dad really don't get along. It probably has to do with your mother, but anyway I'd stay away from him Megpie." 

Meghan just nodded and flipped the page. She looked at all the pictures, the images of the people she didn't know and the ones she did, so much younger, so different. 

Another picture made her pause. This one was of Brenda in a lovely white lace dress, the caption under it read _The Wedding That Never Was._

She ran her hand over it and looked at the picture. She knew that Sonny had left Brenda at the alter, that had been the end of their romantic relationship. 

Under the caption was more writing. 

_This was the end for Sonny and I, in the long run it was for the best, but god did it hurt. All I wanted was to be Mrs. Corinthos, but it wasn't in the cards. _

Still, I know now he did the right thing, and he was right, it was one Hell of a ride. But you can't help wonder what might have been... 

Meghan shook her head and turned the pages. There were more pictures of Brenda with Jax, pictures of her with other people. 

Meghan flipped the page and then stopped, there was a picture of a man she had never seen before, but who looked vaguely familiar. 

Under it was the caption _Luis_, but again there was more writing under that. 

"_Luis Alcazar saved my life and then destroyed it. He stole four years from me and by the time I went home, it wasn't my home any more and my life wasn't mine. _

Of course, if that hadn't happened, I wouldn't have had you, my darling Meghan, so maybe it was for best. 

Besides, in his way, for a time, he was kind to me. And for good or bad, he was a part of my life, so his picture goes in here." 

Meghan read out loud, looking at the man's picture. 

"I'd swear I've seen him before." Morgan muttered, looking at the picture. 

Meghan nodded. "I felt the same way, Michael?" 

"He does look familiar, but remember I'm old enough to remember when Brenda was around the first time." Her brother pointed out. "I'm sure that's why he looks familiar." 

"I guess." Meghan agreed, looking at the picture again before turning the page. 

The next picture made her laugh. 

There was a picture of Brenda and Jason together and neither looked all that happy. 

_Mr. and Mrs. Morgan_ read the caption. 

"Uncle Jason was married to your mom?" Morgan said in surprise. 

Meghan shrugged. "Don't ask me. This is the first I've heard of it." 

Meghan continued to go through the album, there were only a few pictures left. 

One was of Sonny, Carly and Michael, it was labeled _Sonny's New Life_. 

There was a picture of Brenda in another wedding dress, _Another Failed Attempt_. 

The final picture was of Brenda by herself. _Goodbye Port Charles_ read the caption. 

Once again, there was a more writing under it. 

_The album ends here because so did a chapter of my life. I realized that Thomas Wolfe was right, you can't go home again and that I wouldn't find my happy ending in Port Charles, so I sought it elsewhere. But I never forgot the life I lived there, the people loved, or the person that I was._

Meghan put the album down, the pictures and the captions had given her glimpse into the past. There were still things she didn't understand, but... 

Meghan reached for the other album. 

_Meghan- _

The past is important, but sometimes I feel like my life began with your father. This album contains pictures of my life with Pat and of you, my beautiful baby girl. The most beautiful baby in the world. 

Forever,   
Your Mother. 

Meghan opened the album to find a picture of a handsome man with eyes just like hers. 

_My Patrick_ read the caption and Meghan knew she was looking at her biological father. 

"Is that?" Morgan asked. 

Meghan nodded. "Yeah." 

"You have his eyes." Michael told her softly. 

Meghan didn't say anything, just looked at the picture. She never really thought about her birth father. 

It was odd, she thought of Brenda sometimes, had her entire life, but had never given a thought to Brenda's husband. 

In her mind, Sonny was her father and that was that. Perhaps it was because Sonny made Brenda real for her, but couldn't do the same for Patrick. She didn't know. 

After a long moment, she turned the page. 

The next pages were filled with pictures of Patrick and Brenda together. Then there was a wedding picture. _I Finally Got It Right_, read the caption. 

After that, there were pictures of Brenda pregnant and then one of her holding a newborn. 

Morgan read the caption out loud, "_Me and My Meghan_." 

Meghan stared at the picture of herself and her mother a bit teary-eyed, the love on Brenda's face was very powerful. 

Finally Meghan looked up. "I think we're finally gonna get to see some baby pictures." 

After all, her baby pictures began with her adoption shortly before her first birthday, she had never seen any before that. 

Sure enough, the next few pages were full, but then the album ended with a picture of Pat, Brenda, and the baby. 

_The three of us, when you were six months old,_ read the caption. It was the last one. 

Meghan closed the album. 

Four months later Brenda and Patrick were dead and Meghan was on her way to a new life. She blinked back tears, they had looked so happy, her parents. 

"Megpie do you need some time alone?" Michael asked her. 

Meghan nodded. "Yeah, if you don't mind." 

"Of course not." He assured her, getting up. Morgan did the same and they left the room. 

Meghan just sat on her bed, staring into space. 

Most of the time she didn't think about what she had lost, after all she considered herself pretty lucky, but she couldn't help mourn it right now. Mourn the two happy, smiling people in those photos. 

Her parents.

* * *


	13. Part Twelve

Meghan   
By Misha 

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue._

Part Twelve

"Mom?" 

"Yes Meghan." Carly said, looking up as her youngest child entered her bedroom. 

Meghan handed her an envelope. "This is for you, it was in the box of things Daddy gave me." 

Carly took the letter with a frown, wondering what ti could say. 

"Night mom." Meghan said, kissing her forehead before leaving the room. 

"Night baby." Carly said as the door closed. 

She paused and then finally opened the letter, slightly apprehensive about it's contents. 

_Dear Carly, _

This is the hardest letter of all to write. 

We were never exactly friends were we? But in a way our lives were linked. We shared a town, we knew the same people and had some of the same experiences. 

But more than that, we loved the same man, though at different times, and that linked us. And now we share another link, a daughter. 

She was mine, but, since by the time you read this I'm sure I've been dead many years, she's yours now. 

I'm sure you've done a great job with her. I know we've never gotten along, but I know you're a good mother and I believe that you'll love my daughter and raise her right. 

That thought was strongly in my mind when I made my choice. We both know that Sonny was the main factor, I knew there's no one else who I could choose, but I'm telling the truth when I say that I could not have sent her to him if I didn't have faith in your mouthing abilities. There's no way I would leave my baby in the care of someone who wouldn't raise her well, but I know you well. 

Also, I know you and if nothing else I can be sure that you won't stomp on her spirit like my sister Julia would. If nothing else, outrageousness is one thing we have in common, that and a zest for life. 

I know you well enough to know that you'll encourage the same in my Meghan. Our Meghan, now, after all by the time you read this you've probably had her for years. I'm sure she's as much yours as she was ever mine. 

I can't deny that I hate the idea, but not because of any personal feelings I have towards you, but simply because what mother wants to imagine another woman taking her place in her child's life? 

Still, I guess some things can't be helped. 

So, thank you, Carly. Thank you for taking in my daughter and making her yours. 

Thank you,   
Brenda 

Carly put down the letter and shook her head. 

She had never expected anything like this. To read Brenda's words, have Brenda thank her. 

She looked at the words on the page, _our daughter_. 

To have Brenda acknowledge that, so many years before the fact, meant a lot to her. She had always hated sharing Meghan with Brenda's memory, but this letter dimmed that a little. 

"Thank you." She whispered. "Thank you for giving her to me." 

She had never liked Brenda, but for that one thing she'd always be grateful. After all, without Brenda, she'd never have Meghan and then her life would have been emptier.

* * *

**knockout#2**- Thanks, I'm glad you like it. The plot will come soon, I just wanted to establish the characthters and relationships first. 


	14. Part Thirteen

Meghan  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue._

Part Thirteen  
  
"Happy birthday, sweetheart." Carly told Meghan, giving her a warm hug. It was the morning of Meghan's sixteenth birthday.

"Thank you, Mom." Meghan said with a smile. "I can't believe I'm actually sixteen."

"Neither can I." Carly said wistfully. "My baby girl."

It seemed like only yesterday that she'd held Meghan in her arms, but that had been many years ago. That ten-month old baby had grown into a beautiful young woman, one any mother would be proud to have.

"I'll always be your baby, Mama." Meghan assured her.

Carly smiled. "I know." She looked Meghan in the eyes. "My beautiful baby girl, grown into a beautiful young woman." 

Meghan might not be the child of her body, but she was her child none the less, and more that she was her baby. Her sweet, beautiful baby girl who was growing up much to fast.

Meghan smiled again and hugged Carly tight. "I love you Mom."

"I love you too, Meggie." Carly assured her daughter.  
---

The day dragged on for Meghan.

Her sixteenth birthday. She had waited for this day for years. To her, sixteen had always been the magical, mythical number that opened the door to adulthood.

She didn't know if that was true, but she did know that sixteen meant more freedom. Or at least it had for Michael and Morgan and she assumed the same would be true for her.

As she exited the school after the final bell and went to meet Michael, who was picking her and Morgan up that day, her cellphone rang.

"Hello?" She answered and stopped walking for a moment.

"Happy birthday." A familiar voice told her.

Lawrence! Meghan couldn't believe it, she'd barely thought about him at all this past week.

"Thanks." She answered. "I'm sorry I never rescheduled our date, things have been hectic."

"It's okay." Lawrence told her. "I understand you being busy, I just wanted to wish you a happy sixteenth birthday and see if you were free next weekend. I know you have birthday plans with your family this weekend."

"I'm totally free." Meghan answered promptly.

"Wonderful. I'll get back to you with details." Lawrence told her and then disconnected. 

Meghan was smiling as she made her way to the car.

"You look happy." Michael commented when she reached the car.

"Why wouldn't I be?" She asked with a grin. "Today's my sweet sixteen!"

"Yes, I know." Michael commented with an indulgent grin. "I can't believe it, my little Meg-pie is growing up so fast."

"Well, that does tend to happen." Meghan told him with a smile.

Michael sighed. "Yeah, well, you're my baby sister, remember? You're not supposed to grow up."

"Ah, is poor Michael feeling old?" Morgan asked, as she approached the two.

"Just a little." Michael commented to his sister. He laughed. "You two ready to go? We have a birthday to celebrate."  
---

"Happy birthday, Princess." Sonny greeted when Meghan got home. 

"Thanks, Daddy." Meghan said, accepting a birthday hug.

Sonny looked at his daughter, finding it hard to believe that she was sixteen. Where had the time gone?

"So when do I get my presents?" Meghan asked mischievously.

"After dinner." Carly informed her, with a smile. "You know that." 

Meghan pouted. "Can't I have just one now?"

Sonny shot a look at his wife, but she shook her head.

"No, you'll wait until after dinner, when everyone's here." Carly told her, since they were having a big family dinner to celebrate. 

Meghan sighed. "Okay." She gave Sonny another hug and then headed upstairs, to follow her brother and sister who'd already headed up.

Carly shot Sonny an amused look. "You were going to let her, weren't you?"

Sonny smiled a little sheepishly. "Yeah." He admitted. "Well, it **is** her sixteenth birthday."

"And you've never figured out how to say no to your little girl." Carly said, wrapping her arms around him. She smiled. "Don't worry, it's one of the things I love most about you, the fact that you're really a big softy."  
---


End file.
